Open hearth furnace



Aug 31, l965 J. J. KERIN 3,203,682

OPEN HEARTH FURNACE Filed NOV. 20, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet l /A/I/EA/TOR. JOSEPH KER//V A TTOR/VEJ Aug. 3l, 1965 .1.J. KERIN OPEN HEARTH FURNACE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 20, 1963 ATTOR/VEX Aug. 3l, 1965 J. J. KERIN 3,203,682

OPEN HEARTH FURNACE l Filed Nov. 20, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTUR JOSEPH d. KER//V BY aww, JMJ 4MM@ A TToR/VEYS i Aug. 31, 1965 J. J. KERIN OPEN HEARTS FURHACB 4 Shasta-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 20, 1963 INVENTUR. uasfH a. KEA/,v

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,203,682 OPEN HEARTH FUR'NACE .oseph .I. Kerin, 571'3 Main St., Duluth, Minn. Filed N ov. 20, 1963, Ser. No. 324,935 6 Claims. (Cl. 26S-'46) The invention relates to an improvement in an open hearth furnace used in the manufacture of steel and more particularly to the front wall, charging doors and roof construction thereof.

In present day open hearth furnaces deterioration of the charging doors, door frames and supports therefor is a serious problem due to the heat of the furnace. A further serious problem is deterioration of the roof supports due to the heat of the furnace which is at approximately 2900 F. at the time of tapping the furnace.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and novel wall, door and roof construction which operates efficiently and resists to a high degree deterioration by heat.

It is a further object to provide apparatus carried by the door for producing a curtain of air at an open door space to aid in keeping the heat in the furnace when a door or doors are open and keeping the furnace heat from operators or repairmen adjacent the furnace.

It will not be here attempted to set forth and indicate all of the various objects and advantages incident to the invention, but other objects and advantages will be referred Ito in or else will become apparent from that which follows.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description When taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawings forming part of this application:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective simple line drawing of an open hearth furnace embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the ice intermediate 22 is supported primarily by means of the construction which follows: Each of the beam sections 23 has secured tt-o the top portion 24 thereof the pair of spaced upright lugs 30. Beam section 23 extends from Y to Z for example. A pair of cantilever I-I-beams 32 are provided for supporting each beam section 23, each beam 32 formed of the vertical portion 34 and the rightangle horizontal portion 36. The lower free end of the vertical portion 34 `of the cantilever beam 32 is pivotally connected to the lugs 30 by means of the pin 38. The upper free end of the horizontal portion 36 of the beam 32 is pivotally connected to the pair of spaced lugs 40 by means `of the pin 42, the lugs 40 being connected to the longitudinally extendingvmain I-beam support 44. The main beam 44 may be some seventy feet in length and is supported by horizontal supports 46 at each end thereof.

The proper position of the beam 32 is determined by the lower stop shoulder member 48 secured to the main beam 44 at a point beneath the cantilever beam portion 36. As the furnace attains its maximum heat the cantilever beam 32 has a tendency to pivotally move upwardly, and to aid in limiting such movement an upper stop shoulder 50 is provided which is secured to the main beam 44, FIGURES 2 and '3. The numeral 52. designates one of a series of horizontal supports for the main beam 44 which is connected to the main I-beam 44 and the vertical buck stay 17.

Further provided are the multiplicity 'of hollow doors 54, 56, 58, 66 and 62 which are for all practical purposes identical except for the end doors 54 and 62 which differ in that they abut the end walls 14 and not another door. With reference to the door 60 the same includes the bottom edge wall portion 64, the top edge wall portion 66, the vertical end wall portion 68 and the vertical end wall portion 70. The door 60 further includes the front wall 72 and the rear wall 74. The end wall portion 68 furnace, portions of which are in section, other portions being broken away.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view substantially on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2, portions of which arebroken away.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view substantially on the line 4 4 of FIGURE 1 showing in particular the doors, air supply lines and lever controls for operating the air curtains emanatingvfrom the doors, which lever controls are actuated by contact with the doors upon the same being raised to .open position.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of one of the doors, a portion of the same being removed.

The furnace A includes the longitudinal chill base plate 10 which extends along the lower front of the furnace and is supported by the foundation member 12. A pair of end walls 14 are provided together with the rear wall 16. The rear wall 16 is supported by a series of vertical buck stays 17. Also provided is the arched brick roof 18, the rear edge of which is supported along X upon the upper edge of the rear wall 16. The front edge of the roof 18 is supported upon the angularly disposed face wall portion 20 of the intermediate horizontal beam 22 composed of a series of aligned hollow water-cooled sections 23. The beam 22 is made up of sections 23 whereby a section may be removed and repaired or replaced. Each of the sections 23 of the hollow beam 22 further includes the horizontal top wall portion 24, the vertical front wall portion 26 and the bottom wall portion 28. Each of the hollow beam sections 23 is water cooled by circulating means including the supply line 29, the return line not being shown but which is well known in the art.

Each of the hollow beam sections 23 making up the is formed with the right-angular recess 75 which allows an interllt with the right angular recess 76 of the vertical end of the adjacent door 62.

The end wall portion 70 of door 60 is also formed with a right-angular recess 78 which interilts with the right angular recess Sti 'of the end wall 82 of the adjacent door 58. The interitting of the vertical edges of the doors not only makes a closure seal when the doors are closed but provides guide means for the sliding vertical movement of the doors when the same are opened or closed. The door 60, as is the case in the other doors, is formed with the internal air supply tubes 84 and 86. Leading from the air tube S4 are the spaced horizontal branch tubes 88, and 92 which terminate at the end wall 68, and leading from the air tube 86 are the spaced horizontal branch tubes 94, 96 and 98. The air tube 86 is connected to the flexible air line 99 which in turn is connected to cross-line 101 similar to cross-line 146. The branch air tubes such as 94, 96 and 98 of door 60 are staggered vertically relative to the branch air tubes of door 56 so that when the intervening door 58, for example, is raised, a substantially complete curtain of air is created at the opening between doors 56 and 60. Each of the doors 54, 56, 5S and 60 and 62, is, as stated, hollow and each is water cooled. The means for cooling each door is substantially identical so that only with regard to door 60 is a description given which includes the flexible water supply line 97 connected to the door from a source not shown and the discharge line 99' leading back to the source for recirculation.

Air is supplied to supply tube 34 for distribution out of branch tubes 88, 90 and 92 by means of flexible air line 100 which is connected to air cross-line 101. Crossline 101 is connected to air distribution valve 102 which in turn is connected to air supply line 104. Cross-line 101 also has connected thereto air line 106 leading to air tube 108 in door jamb member 110 which mounts branch air tubes 112, 114 and 116. Air distribution valve 102 has connected thereto the spring-urged lever 118 which when pressed upwardly by the top wall portion 66 of the door 62 as the door is raised opens the valve 102 identical to 102e lof FIGURE 3 whereby air is distributed to air line 100 and thence to branch outlets 8S, 90 and 92 thereof. At the same time air is distributed by valve 102 to flexible air line 106 and thereby to air tube 108 of door jamb 110 and thence out of branch air tubes 112, 114 and 116. Thus when door 62 is raised by means hereinafter described the opening produced thereby is covered with a curtain of air by means of air emanating from air branch tubes 88, 90 and 92 of door 60 and opposed air branch tubes 112, 114 and 116 of door jamb 110. The curtain of air thus produced serves to keep to a large extent the heat of the furnace from flowing out the opening produced by the open door 62 and protect parties repairing the furnace bottoms.

The mechanism for raising one of the doors is shown in particular with regard to door 60. The mechanism for raising the remaining doors is identical and with respect to door 60 the same has secured centrally to the top wall portion 66 thereof the eye 118 to which s secured the chain 120 which is passed over the sheave 122 mounted on the longitudinally extending door beam 124. The door beam 124 is supported by the vertical end supports 125 supported by horizontal supports 46. The chain 120 is further passed over the sheave 126 mounted on the main beam 44 and thence to the winch 128 driven by the motor 130 which is actuated by conventional controls not shown. When the door 60 is in a closed lowermost position, the bottom edge thereof bottoms out upon the chill base plate 10, and the inner wall 74 stands in contact with the front edge of the hollow intermediate beam 22. Each door is raised and lowered by the same type of mechanism which may be coordinated and allow any one of the doors to be opened to allow charging of the furnace or all of the doors may be operated at once to charge the furnace.

Each section 23 'of the intermediate beam 22 is supported by two cantilever beams 32 with one door per section 23 with a sheave 122 mounted on the door beam 124 between each of the cantilever beams, as particularly shown in FIGURE 2.

AS each of the doors is raised and lowered the exible air and water supply line give and move out of the way. Also each door is guided in a straight line vertical motion by means of a pair of guide members 130 and 132 on each door, and, as an example, the same are shown secured to the top wall portion 66 of .the door 60. The guides are so positioned that an inner portion thereof extends inwardly beyond the inner face of the door and the guide maintains a loose sliding contact with the cantilever beam 32, see particularly FIGURE 2.

As hereinbefore set forth, a curtain of air is produced in the area of the opening produced when door 62 is in a raised position by means of the mechanism described. A curtain of air is produced upon the opening of any of the other doors in a similar manner with identical mechanism. Let us take door 60 as a further example. Door 58 is formed with the air tube 134 and horizontal air branch tubes 136, 138 and 140 terminating at the end wall 142. A flexible air line 144 is connected to the air tube 134 and is also connected to cross-line 146 which is identical to cross-line 101. Cross-line 146 is connected to flexible air line 148 which is connected to air tube 150 off of which the air branch tubes 152, 154 and 156 extend to the edge of door 62. Cross-line 146 is connected to distribution valve 102:1 which is actuated by lever 158.

With the raising of door 60 the top edge 66 contacts the lever 158 thereby opening distribution valve 102a which allows air 1 0 enter cross-line 146 thence to air line 148, through air tube and out air branch tubes 152, 154 and 156. The opened valve 102a also allows air to enter air line 144, thereby to air tube 134 and out air branch tubes 136, 138 and 140 of door 58. The air emitting from air branch tubes 136, 138 and 140 of door 58 together with air emitting from air branch tubes 152, 154 and 156 of door 62 provides an air curtain in the opening formed by raising door 60. As stated, the remaining doors are opened and closed by substantially identical mechanism and the air curtain produced in the opening formed thereby by substantially identical mechanism.

It will thus be seen that charging doors are provided for charging the furnace A, but there are no brick sections or door frames surrounding the doors to burn out. In addition, there are no front roof supports such as buck stays to burn out.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An open hearth furnace comprising:

(a) a front longitudinal base support member,

(b) a rear wall,

(c) a longitudinal intermediate door and roof support member including a multiplicity of hollow elongated separate sections in end-to-end alignment,

(d) a roof supported at its longitudinal edges on said rear wall and said intermediate support sections,

(e) end walls connected to said rear wall and roof,

(f) an upper longitudinal door support beam extending longitudinally of the extent of the roof,

(g) a main longitudinal support beam extending substantially centrally and longitudinally of the extent of said roof,

(h) a multiplicity of charging doors in side-by-side relationship adapted to rest on said front base support with a single door opposite and adjacent a single intermediate support section, said doors forming a front wall when in a closed position,

(i) at least one cantilever beam for each intermediate support section including a horizontal leg portion connected to said main beam and (j) a right angular vertical leg portion depending therefrom and connected to an intermediate support section to support said section, and

(k) means for raising and lowering each of said doors.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein:

(l) each of said doors is formed with air conduit ineans having horizontally directed air outlet means on the vertical edges thereof for directing air horizontally therefrom, and

(m) means for supplying air to said air conduit means of the edges of doors adjacent an opening formed by a raised door to thereby form a curtain of air in the opening formed by the raised door.

3. An open hearth furnace comprising:

(a) a front longitudinal base support member,

(b) a rear wall,

(c) a longitudinal intermediate door and roof support member including a multiplicity of hollow elongated separate sections in end-to-end alignment,

(d) a roof supported at its longitudinal edges on said rear wall and said intermediate support sections,

(e) end walls connected to said rear wall and roof,

(f) an upper longitudinal door support beam extending longitudinally of the extent of the roof,

(g) a main longitudinal suport beam extending substantially centrally and longitudinally of the extent of said roof,

(h) a multiplicity of charging doors in side-by-side relationship adapted to rest on said front base support with a single door opposite and adjacent a single intermediate support section, said doors forming a front wall when in a closed position,

(i) at least one cantilever beam for each intermediate support section including a horizontal leg portion pivotally connected to said main beam and (j) a right angular vertical leg portion depending therefrom and connected to an intermediate support section to support said section, and

(k) means for raising and lowering each of said doors.

4. An open hearth furnace comprising:

(a) a front longitudinal base support member,

(b) a rear wall,

(c) a longitudinal intermediate door and roof support member including a multiplicity of hollow elongated separate sections in end-to-end alignment,

(d) a roof supported at its longitudinal edges on said rear wall and said intermediate support sections,

(e) end walls connected to said rear wall and roof,

(f) an upper longitudinal door support beam extending longitudinally of the extent of the roof,

(g) a main longitudinal support beam extending substantially centrally and longitudinally of the extent of said roof,

(h) a multiplicity of charging doors in side-by-side relationship adapted to rest on said front base support with a single door opposite and adjacent a single intermediate support section, said doors forming a front wall when in a closed position,

(i) at least one cantilever beam, for each intermediate support section including a horizontal leg portion connected to said main beam and (j) a right angular vertical leg portion depending therefrom and pivotally connected to an intermediate support section to support said section, and

(k) means for raising and lowering each of said doors.

5. An open hearth furnace comprising:

(a) a front longitudinal base support member,

(b) a rear wall,

(c) a longitudinal intermediate door and roof support member including a multiplicity of hollow elongated separate sections in end-to-end alignment,

(d) a roof supported at its longitudinal edges on said rear wall and said intermediate support sections,

(e) end walls connected to said rear wall and roof,

(f) an upper longitudinal door support beam extending longitudinally of the extent of the roof,

(g) a main longitudinal support beam extending substantially centrally and longitudinally of the extent of said roof,

(h) a multiplicity of charging doors in side-by-side relationship adapted to rest on said front base support with a single door opposite and adjacent a single intermediate support section, said doors forming a front wall when in a closed position,

(i) at least one cantilever beam for each intermediate support section including a horizontal leg portion pivotally connected to said main beam, and

(j) a right angular vertical leg portion depending therefrom and pivotally connected to an intermediate support section to support said section, and

(k) means for raising and lowering each of said doors.

6. An open hearth furnace comprising:

(a) a front longitudinal base support member,

(b) a rear wall,

(c) a longitudinal intermediate door and roof support member including a multiplicity of hollow elongated separate sections in end-to-end alignment,

(d) a roof supported at its longitudinal edges on said rear wall and said intermediate support sections,

(e) end walls connected to said rear wall and roof,

(f) an upper longitudinal door support beam extending longitudinally of the extent of the roof,

(g) a main longitudinal support beam extending substantially centrally and longitudinally of the extent of said roof,

(h) a multicity of charging doors in side-by-side relationship adapted to rest on said front base support with a single door opposite and adjacent a single intermediate support section, said doors forming a front Wall when in a closed position,

(i) at least one cantilever beam for each intermediate support section including a horizontal leg portion connected to said main beam and (j) a right angular vertical leg portion depending therefrom and connected to an intermediate support section to support said section,

(k) means for raising and lowering each of said doors,

(l) each of said intermediate door and roof support sections having a hollow formation, and

(rn) means for circulating a liquid to and from said intermediate door and roof support sections to cool the same.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM P. ODEA, Acting Primary Examiner.

JOHN I. CAMBY, CHARLES SUKALO, Examiners. 

1. AN OPENING FURNACE COMPRISING: (A) A FRONT LONGITUDINAL BASE SUPPORT MEMBER, (B) A REAR WALL, (C) A LONGITUDINAL INTERMEDIATE DOOR AND ROOF SUPPORT MEMBER INCLUDING A MULTIPLICITY OF HOLLOW ELONGATED SEPARATED AT ITS LONGITUDINAL EDGES ON SAID (D) A ROOF SUPPORTED AT ITS LONGITUDINAL EDGES ON SAID REAR WALL AND SAID INTERMEDIATE SUPPORT SECTIONS, (E) END WALLS CONNECTED TO SAID REAR WALL AND ROOF, (F) AN UPPER LONGITUDINAL DOOR SUPPORT BEAM EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE EXTENT OF THE ROOF, (G) A MAIN LONGITUDINAL SUPPORT BEAM EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY AND LONGITUDINALLY OF THE EXTENT OF SAID ROOF, (H) A MUILTIPLICITY OF CHARGING DOORS IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP ADAPTED TO REST ON SAID FRONT BASE SUPPORT WITH A SINGLE DOOR OPPOSITE AND ADJACENT A SINGLE INTERMEDIATE SUPPORT SECTION, SAID DOORS FORMING A FRONT WALL WHEN IN A CLOSED POSITION, (I) AT LEAST ONE CANTILEVER BEAM FOR EACH INTERMEDIATE SUPPORT SECTION INCLUDING A HORIZONTAL LEG PORTION CONNECTED TO SAID MAIN BEAM AND (J) A RIGHT ANGULAR VERTICAL LEG PORTION DEPENDING THEREFROM AND CONNECTED TO AN INTERMEDIATE SUPPORT SECTION TO SUPPORT SAID SECTION, AND (K) MEANS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING EACH OF SAID DOORS. 